Ghoulia (Ghoulia #1)

Younger readers will wish that they could toss their heads…or at least that they knew someone who could.

Gr 1-3--A zombie ventures forth to make friends in this illustrated beginning chapter book. Ghoulia lives with her Auntie Departed and her (mostly dead) extended family at Crumbling Manor. It's not entirely dull; ghostly Grandad Coffin enjoys a game of chess, and Uncle Misfortune's disembodied head is a chatterbox. Still, it's not the same as having friends, so Ghoulia plans a Halloween escape to infiltrate the nearby town's trick-or-treaters. With Uncle Misfortune's head as a goodie bag, she meets a group of costumed kids who seem willing to accept her, until her eagerness to impress threatens to expose her secret. It's a familiar story line, but Cantini's extensive illustrations are full of humorous details, and Ghoulia is expressive and charming in a Tim Burton kind of way. Unfortunately, the artwork alone provides most of the interest in terms of character and setting; the text, translated from Italian, is flat and uninspired. Additionally, while it's a short narrative with a limited number of sentences per page, the vocabulary will be challenging for many beginning readers. This is a good pick for younger children reading independently, and the smaller font size and appealing cartoon illustrations also make it an option for older readers in need of easier texts that don't appear too juvenile. VERDICT A likely hit with young fans of humorous horror, and a solid addition to larger collections in need of easy illustrated chapter books.--Chelsea Couillard-Smith, Hennepin County Library, MN

Ghoulia wants to blend in with other kids, but her appearance (greenish-gray skin, Ping-Pong ball eyes) and special talents (she can yank off and reattach her body parts at will) give her away--she's "a perfectly normal zombie girl." Living in Crumbling Manor at the edge of town, Ghoulia and her Auntie Departed fear discovery and subsequent banishment, so Ghoulia spends her time with her beloved albino greyhound, Tragedy. Still, she longs for friendship with other children, and when she learns about trick-or-treating, she sees her chance to mingle undetected. In a happy resolution, Ghoulia's identity comes out (she can't resist removing her head in front of the other kids), and her new friends accept and celebrate her unique qualities. Cantini's detailed grayscale drawings ramp up the comedy on every page with labels and asides, including a page from Ghoulia's Halloween-prep journal. This well-paced series opener will work well as both a read-aloud and a humorous choice for newly independent readers. Ages 6-8. (Aug.)